‘Fortnite’ Developer Challenges Google Over App-Store Fees

Epic pushes popular videogame with payment system that would cut out Google

Sarah E. Needleman

The creator of “Fortnite” is challenging Google’s policy of taking a cut of payments made for app-related purchases at a time when regulators have started scrutinizing those kind of arrangements between tech companies and their vendors.

Epic Games Inc. is asking Google to release in its app store a version of “Fortnite” with a built-in payment system that allows the developer to keep all in-game revenue. Google, a unit of Alphabet Inc., currently takes a 30% cut for the kind of in-game purchases players make on games downloaded...